I can understand that Aripaev staff is confused about the enormous mass of news from airBaltic in the recent weeks – 25% passenger growth in Estonia, almost 20 new direct routes opened in the Middle East and Europe, over 20 million EUR profit for the last year, prestigious global awards, airBatic Hotels joined by Reval Hotels to create the strongest tourism alliance so far in the Baltic region, and many, many more. However, I am disappointed about the fact that Aripaev staff did not contact airBaltic. Over 10 million people per year can find contact with  airBaltic, except Aripaev.

To my understanding Aripaev is lazy, and needs some fitness to keep in good shape. Therefore, I challenge Meelis Mandel, Aripaev’s Editor in Chief, to compete with me in the most important sports event in the Baltic region – Nordea Riga Marathon on Sunday May 23, 2010.

If Aripaev wins, you can keep your practice of not contacting airBaltic, until the next Nordea Riga Marathon in 2011. If I win, I will kindly ask you to follow accepted media standards and check facts before releasing a news story, just as I have requested several times before. Over the last year, airBaltic made record profit of over 20 million EUR and earned several global recognitions, while everyone else was badly hit by the recession. I believe, these achievements make us very fit to compete.

If Ariapaev is too lazy to register themselves for Nordea Riga Marathon, or to visit www.airBaltic.com to choose one of the five daily direct flights to Riga, we can do it for you!

For those readers, who got confused about Aripaev’s story, I would like to emphasize that airBaltic will continue offering at least five direct flights per day between Riga and Tallinn, and evaluate possibilities to increase the frequency. I can confirm airBaltic is evaluating more direct flights from Tallinn to airports in Finland, Sweden and elsewhere in Europe.

Yours,

Janis Vanags, Vice President Corporate Communications 
A/S Air Baltic Corporation